Awkward Character Questions from 6yr old

[DisneyMama811]

I need some advice on how to handle this!

We've been watching alot of Disney planning videos on YouTube my 6yr old is obsessed with them... yesterday we watched one that in passing mentioned Disney Cruise Line and it showed footage of Mickey and Minnie on the ship... DD6 was confused "how can they be on the ship and at Disney World? what if they're on the ship when we go to Disney and we don't see them?"

she still thinks the characters are real (ie doesn't know it's just someone dressed up) and I really don't want to ruin the magic yet, I need to think of something convincing to say if she asks again (yesterday I just said hmm I don't know I'll find out!)

for Santa we've talked about how Santa can't be everywhere at once so the Santa at the mall is a special helper but I feel like that won't work for a non human character

 

[Heather07438]

Maybe say Mickey and Minnie are on a schedule. They go to the parks at certain times and go on the ships on their days off from the parks. As long as the 6yo doesn't realize WDW is open 365 days a year that explanation may work lol. Good luck.

 

[Timandalicia]

I need some advice on how to handle this!

We've been watching alot of Disney planning videos on YouTube my 6yr old is obsessed with them... yesterday we watched one that in passing mentioned Disney Cruise Line and it showed footage of Mickey and Minnie on the ship... DD6 was confused "how can they be on the ship and at Disney World? what if they're on the ship when we go to Disney and we don't see them?"

she still thinks the characters are real (ie doesn't know it's just someone dressed up) and I really don't want to ruin the magic yet, I need to think of something convincing to say if she asks again (yesterday I just said hmm I don't know I'll find out!)

for Santa we've talked about how Santa can't be everywhere at once so the Santa at the mall is a special helper but I feel like that won't work for a non human character

I don’t understand. What do you mean someone is “dressed up”? That is not the case. Mickey just has the opportunity to move quickly and by other means of transportation than we do. He is not really in that many places and I know that you’ll never find a video where he is in the exact same place at the exact same time. Explaining this information to anyone is quite simple for true believers. When you’re son goes, he will never see any kind of discontinuity. Keep the magic alive by believing it yourself!

 

[Rockbro]

Did you ever disembark a ship and take a tender? I imagine that they have private high speed tenders, as they are VIP's.

Oh, also, if you've been to Disney I imagine you have seen the constant presence of helicopters. Who do you think is riding in those?

 

[DisneyMama811]

Did you ever disembark a ship and take a tender? I imagine that they have private high speed tenders, as they are VIP's.

Oh, also, if you've been to Disney I imagine you have seen the constant presence of helicopters. Who do you think is riding in those?

sorry what does this have to do with my post? did you read the question? we haven't been on a Disney Cruise, I never said we had been?

 

[DisneyMama811]

I don’t understand. What do you mean someone is “dressed up”? That is not the case. Mickey just has the opportunity to move quickly and by other means of transportation than we do. He is not really in that many places and I know that you’ll never find a video where he is in the exact same place at the exact same time. Explaining this information to anyone is quite simple for true believers. When you’re son goes, he will never see any kind of discontinuity. Keep the magic alive by believing it yourself!

did you read the post, I said daughter twice lol I don't have a son...

also cute answer but not helpful

 

[Rockbro]

It seems like you're getting some imaginative responses. Maybe you posed your question in an ambiguous way?

 

[mjkacmom]

I don’t think the OP wants help, but my two cents, I’d say I don’t know, what do you think? It’s worked well with my 5.

 

[Timandalicia]

did you read the post, I said daughter twice lol I don't have a son...

also cute answer but not helpful

Twice hey. Does that make me double awful. . I did read the post. I apologize I made the gender mistake.

Also, I don’t see how my response isn’t helpful. I think maybe because you read it cynically.

If you wish, I could create an actual statement. “Of course the characters will be on the ship. All the ones you love. Mickey will be on the ship. There is a special boat that takes him off the ship to go back to Disney World, and he is there when he is not on the ship. Also there is a little bit of magic involved. Let’s watch this video of Fantasmic. Oh my gosh did you see that. He got to the top of that mountain. He is magic! I know he can do things and I can't always explain how it happens but it does. I promise you he will be on the ship and at Disney World. That is how the magic works.”

See that’s right off the cuff because I believe in the magic. I am 50 and a child phychologist. I could give you some mumbo jumbo that you might call “helpful”, but why when you are going to the most magical place on Earth?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

sorry what does this have to do with my post? did you read the question? we haven't been on a Disney Cruise, I never said we had been?

just a way to explain how to be in different places from what you said a cruise and park. how to get from one place and another. if meet and greets come back soon and you do character meals Mickey is going to be in park in 2 places at same time. you wont see him at same time but your child will figure it out. for the believer they will always see the real one but as they begin to not believe you will get the questions. you will never see 2 of same character at same time but they will be in park in different places at same time. precovid you could see Mickey at meet and walk out and see him in afternoon parade if you time it right. my suggestion to your question would be use your Santa example as to how it is done but you never know which is the helper or real one as Mickey switches locations all the time

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I just tell my DD I don’t know, and that next time she talks to Mickey or Minnie she can ask them. She seems happy with that answer.

 

[Eeyore daily]

If it's during COVID you could just say sometimes Mickey and Minnie vacation on the cruises as well but they're not right now so we can see them at Disney World.

 

[lanejudy]

sorry what does this have to do with my post? did you read the question? we haven't been on a Disney Cruise, I never said we had been?

A “tender” is a smaller boat that is used when the cruiseship isn’t docked at a pier in a port. The PP is suggesting that characters have a private tender which moves them quickly between a cruise ship and WDW. It seems as though you want a “logical” explanation to answer your child. This may be the most logical if the child understands traveling between 2 distant locations.

However, I agree with the PP who suggests turning the question back to your child — she may amaze you with how she works it out in her mind!

 

[noahdove]

Plan and simple, it's Disney Magic. And I never question Disney Magic. Plus, she won't be on the ship and at Disney World at the same time.

 

[Rory607]

Plan and simple, it's Disney Magic. And I never question Disney Magic. Plus, she won't be on the ship and at Disney World at the same time.

This is what I’ve told my kids. It’s just magic! My youngest in particular wants to know every detail about everything, so when he keeps pressing, I’ll go with “well, what do you think?“ It’s always worked out. His older sister has now told him they are people dressed up, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. It’s still magical when we’re there

 

[unrequited23]

"Well, what do you think?" is parenting magic. It buys you time to come up with something to say when your kid asks hard questions at random times.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We ran into similar situations, as I assured them that's why I spend so much planning.. the good thing is right now M&M and all thier friends are on a schedule. The only time we saw M&M was when we came in on top of the station at MK and in a boat calvlade at AK... and this year not too many cruises.

 

[Pyxie]

"Cruises aren't happening right now so don't worry. You'll see Mickey and Minnie at Disney World."

 

[Julie Amber]

"Cruises aren't happening right now so don't worry. You'll see Mickey and Minnie at Disney World."

This is exactly what I was going to say.

 

[ElizabethG]

Did you ever disembark a ship and take a tender? I imagine that they have private high speed tenders, as they are VIP's.

Oh, also, if you've been to Disney I imagine you have seen the constant presence of helicopters. Who do you think is riding in those?

sorry what does this have to do with my post? did you read the question? we haven't been on a Disney Cruise, I never said we had been?

This made me laugh. The suggesting being that there are fast boats and helicopters that get Mickey and Minnie (VIPs) back and forth.

I was actually going to suggest something similar. This came from my 6 yo (a while back). She asked how we saw Mickey at breakfast and now we see him in the park. I told her they really must have a good schedule for Mickey. She said, "No. I think he has a magic car." There you go. It doesn't have to be elaborate or make adult sense.